Last Battle
by Neferit
Summary: It should be their last battle. But nothing is how it seems. Something strange... and something dangerous suddenly appear. RR, please!
1. Chapter 1

They were fighting their worst enemy. Their worst enemy and their hardest battle.

Valen was trying to divert attention on himself, so Elvorfiging and Deekin could cast their spells. Soon was Mephistopheles hit by ice storm and acid arrows but it had little effect on him - or so it seemed. All three begun to fight him with their weapons while two of them were casting spells, too.

Hit, dodge; hit and dodge. Spell, hit, dodge; spell, hit and dodge. Load the crossbow, loose, cast spell.

And then - Mephistofeles finally looked weaker than in the beginning. No wonder - after long battle he was covered with wounds. The three declaimed with new energy.

After a while, which seemd to be forever, he finally fell to the ground. Valen and Elvorfiring put down their helmets and tiredly smiled at each other. Suddenly Elvorfiring shouted: "Watch!" and leapt in front of Valen. Mephistopheles wasn't dead yet. He lashed his claw after Valen but Elvorfiring was quicker. She pushed Valen aside and Mephistofeles' claw sweeped her up to the nearest wall, where with nasty cracking she fell to the ground.

Valen was on her side at once. Her beautiful skin was under its normal violescent tinge deathly pale and from the niche of her mouth small rill of blood was flowing. When he knelt beside of her, she slowly opened her eyes and looked on him and tried to smile.

He gently toucher her cheek. "Elvorfiring, just don't die, okay? Everything will be all right, yes? Everything will be okay..."

She pressed his hand to her cheek and whispered: "Aoskanine the Demonwrestler... I free you from the heigh of your blood." She looked him in the eyes and smiled. "You are free, Valen. You are free and you can do whatever you want..." With one last smile she closed her eyes and stiffened.

"Boss! Boss! What happened to boss?!" cried Deekin. Valen didn't answer. Just looked on the now calm face of Elvorfiring. _'She's dead...'_

Suddenly Durnan appeared by his side with some elven woman. She knelt beside Elvorfiring and reached to try her heartbeat. In a few moments she said something but he didn't react.

Durnan patted on his shoulder. "Hey, you there! Linu says she's not dead!"

This roused him. "What? She... she's still alive? Then what are you waiting for?! Help her!"

The woman smiled at him. "Can you please carry her?"

In answer he lifted Elvorfiring up. Durnan led the way to some still-standing-house, where he laid her on bed and then he had to leave the room. "I need to take off her clothes - and I will be able to do it quicker if I will be here alone." So he and Deekin left the room.

Deekin sat promptly on the ground before the doors and Valen - after short hesitation - sat beside him and hid his face into his hands.

"Errr... will boss be okay?"

_'What should I do? Tell him, that everything will be okay? Or that she can't survive?'_ In the end he just whispered: "Yes, she will be okay." But he was unable to look into Deekin's eyes. He just pressed his hands to his eyes, so noone could see him crying.

_'Don't die, Elvorfiring. Please, don't die.'_ The worst time of his life, even worse than it was in Abbys, begun.


	2. Chapter 2

He was unsure how many time has passed but suddenly the door opened. He was instantly standing.

"How is she? Is she alive? Is she...?"

The woman chuckled. "Hey, slow down! Yes, she's alive. I was able to heal all her wounds, but I'm unsure how long it will take for her to be fully okay again."

Valen exhaled with relief.

"Can Deekin see boss now?"

The healer smiled. "Of course you can - but don't make noise, she needs sleep, yes?"

Deekin exulted and on tip toes entered the room while Valen was still standoutside.

"I thank you for healing Elvorfiring but I would appreciate to know your name."

The woman nodded. "I'm Linu, El's former companion. We travelled together in Undermountain - before she got to Underdark. She was forced by Halaster to step through the portal and I was teleported here, back to Waterdeep." She sighed. "At least I didn't have to go through the whole Undermountain again." Then she looked on him closer. "And you are...?"

"I'm Valen," said tiefling. _'Should I say her that I'm also El's true love? Guess it will be better left unspoken.'_ So he added: "I'm her companion from Underdark and Cania."

Linu nodded. Although she still looked on him curiously, she stepped aside and let him go in. He was immediately by El's side.

She looked better. Or at least peaceful. Deekin was already sitting on her bed and watched her face. Then he held his head and whispered furiously: "Deekin needs to writes! Boss not being happy for Deekin sit here and cry." With these words he run out of the room. Although he tried to hide hem, his tears were still visible on his face.

Valen just watch El's face for a moment. So calm, so beautiful. How he loved that woman!

She was there when he needed her the most - in Cania. She accepted and returned his love. She set him free from his cursed demon blood. She was the cause of his recovered hope. _She_ was his hope.

And he was unable to save her. It's only because of him that she had almost died. He closed his eyes, tormented with wringing of conscience.

He didn't dare to sit on her bed, so he just sat on one of the chairs in the room; backrest before him so he could sit comfortable and watch after her.

_'Noone will ever hurt you again, my love. I promise.'_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, only this story. Deekin, Linu and Valen are not mine possession. Damn it!

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Deekin was slowly working on his book but in some parts he was unsure how to continue and Valen wasn't of much use in this matter since he was still angry, nervous and depressed. The constant tension was obvious on both of them. And Elvorfiring hasn't woken up yet.

"It's really strange, Valen," said Linu when it was almost two weeks. "She should be awaken already; all her wounds have been healed and she has had enough calm. I don't undestand it."

Valen said sourly: "That makes two of us."

"Three!" exclaimed Deekin. "Deekin be worried about boss, too!"

Linu hid her smile but she couldn't stop thinking about El's strange state. Just like the others.

"What shall we do then?" asked Valen after moment of silence.

Linu shrugged. "Except of waiting, Valen? I'm afraid we don't have any other option. Just waiting." Then the idea hit her. "Or we can try to guard her - maybe she says something in her sleep and we will be able to find out what's with her."

Valen and Deekin nodded after a moment. Then all three sighed. This will be bad.

o.O.o

Two days passed without any change. And then - when was Deekin's turn in guarding El's sleep - something finally happened. Deekin bursted into the room where Linu and Valen were resting and shrieked: "Boss be not okay! She cries sleeping!"

Linu and Valen were instantly standing and running to the bedroom. Elvorfiring was hidding her face into her hands, cried and without cease she repeated: "That's not true, that's all only a lie..."

Valen did the first thing which occured him - take her into his arms. She slowly calmed down. He sat there with her in his arms, gently whispering into her hair and wiping away her tears.

Linu blinked her own tears back. The picture before her was just too touching.

And the plan wasn't working too good, as it seemed.

o.O.o

After a while they sat again and brood about what should they do now.

"Well, we know that something troubles her but we still don't know what it is," said Valen at least.

Deekin nodded unhappily. "Boss be having bad dreams often, Deekin knows it! When Deekin and boss be in Shadow plane, boss had bad dreams all the time!"

Valen turned to Linu. "Is it possible that her staying in Cania caused her these dreams?"

Linu shrugged hopelessly. "That option is possible as any other. We need to look into her dreams but I have no idea how." She suddenly stopped and mused. "Hm, _'look into her dreams'_... "

Deekin and Valen nervously looked at each other. But then Linu abruptly cried out. "I have it! All we need is sharing a reverie with her!"

When she saw uncomprehending faces of her companions she explained. "Sharing a reverie is an elven custom. You know, elves almost never sleep, only reverie. They can see their past in this state and they can show it to the others, if they will. It's quite simple, really," she finished while Deekin was writing furiously into his book.

"Can you do it?" asked Valen impatiently.

Linu nodded. "Yes, I can." And then she added with guilty look on her face: "But we have to wait for another nightmare of hers."


	4. Chapter 4

The waiting for next nightmare didn't take long. Soon, Elvorfiring was thrashing herself on the bed violently.

Linu looked on Valen and said: "So here goes. Please, do not intervere into this - it would can kill us both, yes?" Valen nodded in agreement and held El's hands to prevent her from another thrashing and Linu gently laid her fingers on El's face, closed her eyes and begun to breathe deeply. Elvorfiring stopped moving and laid still.

For very long moment there was silence, broken only by their breathing. And suddenly Linu threw her head back and begun to scream.

Valen bounced from the chair he was sitting on and run to her. He was afraid of doing anything - he didn't know if it won't put the women in danger.

Deekin watched the situation with great fear. Not only his beloved boss was in danger!

"Hey, why goat man do nothing?!"

Valen shot him marderous glare. "And what should I do in your opinion, you annoying kobold?"

Deekin waved his hands in flurry. "Help boss and the nice elf lady, you mean goat man!"

Valen snapped. "You really do think that this hasn't ocurred me yet? The main problem is that I have no idea how to do it! Do you even realize that waking them can kill them both?"

Deekin was silent for a moment. "But we have to do something!"

"I know it, you fool! What I don't know is _what_ and _how_!"

Deekin feverishly searched in his memory. Anything could be in use now. Suddenly he found it and exclaimed: "Deekin knows!" and run to Linu and put her fingers off of El's face.

Linu opened her eyes and breathed with great difficulty. Although she was very pale, she tried to smile on Deekin. Then she fainted.

And Valen and Deekin were left wondering about El's dreams once again.

o.O.o

Linu waked up shortly. Valen and Deekin questioned her immidiately: "So? What's she dreaming of?"

She watched them for a moment, clearly confused. After a moment of silence she spoke slowly: "In truth, I have absolutely no idea. I was unable to reach into the "centre" of her dreams. I think she made some "wall" around the centre. I've just touched it - and it almost killed me." She sighned, resigned. "Maybe someone of stronger will would be able to help her."

There has been silence for long. And then Valen finally spoke. He looked gravely into Linu's eyes and said: "If you would be able to connect my mind with hers, I'll try my best. I promised her in Cania I will move the Hell itself to save her."

Linu watched him silently. "Are you sure about this? You can get yourself killed - and maybe it won't help."

Valen bursted, annoyed. "And what should I do? Watch how she's slowly dying and do nothing?"

Deekin observed the scene before him. _'Hm, what would boss thinks about this? Deekin be sure boss be happy for goat man helping her. Deekin needs to get more ink...'_

"And why do you think I will be able to connect your minds? I was able to share her reverie with her because we have known each other even before all of this happened. And I'm an elf. What makes you believe her mind will accept you?" asked Linu sarcastically.

Valen fell silent for a while. Then he spoke: "In Cania, I told her I love her. And the Knower of Names told us we are each other true love. That's in my opinion enough strong bond between us."

Linu blushed, bitting her lower lip. "Okay, Valen. I'll connect your minds. Come here."

He promptly obeyed. Linu laid her right palm on Valen's forehead, while laing her left on Elvorfiring's and begun to chant low: "Your thoughts into her thought, her thoughts into your thoughts..." And Valen soon found out he's falling. But he never hit the floor.

o.O.o

Freezing. She was freezing. Freezing, tired and alone. No one came to help her. She had to fight that beast alone. And she losed.

He stood before her. "You poor mortal... did you really think you can defeat me so easily? Without your companions you're defenceless. They all have betrayed you." He snorted. "You have to try better. Or wait - you won't try. I'll kill you now..."

He prepared for the final strike. She prepared to death, feeling her tears flowing out of her eyes. He couldn't betray her. He just... couldn't find her. Ethernal death. _'No Arvanaith...'_ She heard how the weapon whized through the air and closed her eyes. '_Farewell, my friends...'_

But the strike didn't land on her.

"You won't. I swear on my name you won't hurt her anymore."

_'Valen!'_

"Ah, another foolish mortal. Don't you have enough intellingence to stand yout of this?" asked Mephistofeles disgustedly.

"Maybe I don't - but I have enough courage to stand in, if you know what I mean," sneered Valen.

He attacked Mephistofeles. She couldn't see through the tears in her eyes, but she was praying to every god who would listened for Valen._'Gods, help him when I can't do it myself!'_

But Valen didn't need her help. His fury - this time not tainted by his demon self - helped him win.

And this time the victory was finall. The very last battle was over.

Valen leaned over her, took her into his arms and kissed her gently. She returned his kiss and then smiled on him weakly.

"I knew you will find me..."

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

_After the last battle with Mephisto, which occured in Elvorfiring's mind, Valen and Elvorfiring returned to the normal world and get married._

_What happened next? Who knows? Maybe Linu or Deekin could tell. But that would be another story..._

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_**A/N:** _And here the story ends.If you liked/disliked it, please, send me a note about it, so I can improve my style. Until next fic! 


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